Condenser discharger switch



Nov. 2, 1954 w. c. LUEBKING ET AL 2,693,510

l CONDENSER DISCHARGER SWITCH Filed Sept. 5, 1952 Arr 04P/vir UnitedStates Patent CONDENSER DISCHARGER SWITCH Walter C. Lnebking and RobertJ. Owen, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignors to Collins Radio Company, CedarRapids, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application September 5, 1952,Serial No. 308,014

2 Claims. (Cl. 20D- 16) This invention relates in general to dischargingdevices and in particular to a safety mechanism for preventingaccidental electrical shock.

It is an object of this invention to provide a safety device forremoving the charge on condensers when a chassis is removed from itsmounting.

It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic dischargedevice which will assure the discharge of condensers when a chassis isremoved from its mounting.

Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description and claims when considered inview of the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the discharge device of this invention,

Figure 2 is atop view of the apparatus of this invention. 2 Figure 3 isa sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure and Figure 4 is a schematicillustrating the shorting device in a particular discharge circuit.

Figure 1 discloses a plate 10 which might, for example, be a mountingplate upon which one end of a chassis 11 is supported by an arm 12. Thechassis 11 might carry thereon, for example, a communication receiver ortransmittel or other electrical device which contains high voltagecondensers that are dangerous to personnel.

Mounted to the chassis plate 11 are three insulating stand-offs 13 whichare held by bolts 14 or other suitable means. A conducting plate 15 istriangular in shape and is attached to the stand-offs 13 by bolts orother suitable means.

Smaller ceramic stand-offs 16 are connected to the stand-offs 13 andhave their opposite ends connected to a ceramic plate 17 which isconnected to the stand-offs 16 by bolts or other suitable holding means.

The conducting plate 15 has a pin 18 that extends downwardly therefrom,as best shown in the sectional view of Figure 3. A plate of conductingmaterial 19 is formed with an opening and is received over the pin 18.An actuating member 20 is attached to the plate 19 and fits over the pin18.

A spring 21 is mounted between the plate 15 and the plate 19 and pushesthem apart. A plurality of contacts 22 are mounted in the insulatingplate 17 and are engageable by the plate 19 when the discharge device isin the up positon, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 4 discloses the discharge device wherein, by way of example,three condensers C1, C2 and C3 have one of their sides connected,respectively, to one of the contacts 22 and their opposite sidesconnected to the plate 15. When the plunger 20 is pushed upwardly theplate 19 is out of engagement with the contacts 22 and the condensersC1, Cz and C3 are effective.

However, when the chassis is raised relative to the supporting plate 10,the plate 19 is allowed to engage the contacts 22 and thus completes theelectrical circuit from the plate 15 to the plate 19 through the pin 18and the spring 21 to short out the condensers.

In operation, whenever the plunger 20 is in the position shown in Figurel, the condensers are not shorted and the circuit in which they aremounted will operate in the conventional manner.

However, when the chassis is moved relative to its mounting plate, theplunger 20 will fall downwardly, thus allowing the plate 19 to short theterminals 22, thus discharging the condensers.

lt is seen that this invention protecting personnel.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a particularembodiment thereof, it is not to be so limited, as changes andmodifications may be made therein which are within the full intendedscope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A switch comprising, a chassis, a plurality of insulating stand-offsconnected to said chassis, a first transverse plate attached to saidstand-offs intermediate their ends, a pin attached to said firsttransverse plate, an actuating plunger receivable on said pin, a secondplate of conducting material attached to said plunger, a thirdtransverse plate of insulating material attached to the ends of saidstand-offs, a plurality of contacts mounted in said insulating plate,said second plate supported between said first and third plates andengageable with said contacts, a spring mounted between said first andsecond plates to bias the plunger downwardly, an arm attached to saidchassis, and the end of said plunger extending below said arm so as todisconnect the switch when the chassis is resting on a fiat surface andto connect it when the chassis is lifted above the fiat surface.

2. A safety switch for discharging condensers in a radio chassiscomprising, a plurality of insulating stand-offs attached to saidchassis and extending downwardly therefrom, a first transverse platemounted between said standofis intermediate their ends, a pin attachedto said first transverse plate, an actuating plunger received over saidpin, a second transverse conducting plate attached to said plunger, athird insulated plate connected to the ends of said stand-offs, aplurality of contacts mounted in said insulated plate and engageablewith said second transverse plate, a spring means between the first andsecond transverse plates to bias the plunger downwardly, a downwardlyextending arm attached to said chassis and of a length so that when thechassis is resting on a flat surface the second plate is moved out ofengagement with the contacts and when the chassis is lifted from thefiat surface the second plate is allowed to move downwardly intoengagement with the contacts.

provides a safety device for References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,862,928 Gebhard June 14, 19321,865,237 Danuff June 28, 1932 1,928,691 Huddleson Oct. 3, 19332,144,873 Dimond May 4, 1939 2,165,025 Baldwin, Ir. July 4, 19392,312,243 Evans et al. Feb. 23, 1943

